


In Disguise

by WordsInTimeAndSpace



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Telepathy, fake not married
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-06-27 10:05:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15683217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsInTimeAndSpace/pseuds/WordsInTimeAndSpace
Summary: On the planet Aspao, the Doctor and Rose work together to unravel a mystery in the royal palace. At the same time, they struggle to keep their own secrets - they not only have to hide their relationship, but also their telepathic bond.





	1. Chapter 1

Rose wrapped her fingers around a lever on the TARDIS console, holding her breath. The metal was warm under her skin, vibrating softly as the ship steered through the Vortex. This was it. She glanced back at the monitor, studying the settings and coordinates she had just entered. A twinge of uncertainty made her hesitate. Until suddenly, a wave of reassurance washed over her and drowned out every doubt. She could do this. Smiling, Rose looked up from the controls. The Doctor was watching her with a proud grin on his lips. He was leaning against the console, following her movements, but not once had he interfered while she’d set the course.

“Go on,” he said, sending another nudge of encouragement through their mental link.

Rose bit her lip. “Are you sure? You’re still teaching me, so I’ll blame you if I land us in the middle of a supernova. Or on… dunno, Clom or anything.”

“It’ll be fine.” The Doctor rounded the console with two broad steps until he was standing right behind her. He leaned closer, his chest touching her back, and placed his hand on hers. “Together?” he asked.

Rose grinned. She leaned back into him, letting out a hum as the Doctor pressed a kiss to her neck. “Always.” And with that, she pulled the lever and sent the TARDIS into flight.

The Doctor wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as the ship shook around them. She turned in his arms and the Doctor’s lips found hers. Pressed against the console, Rose relished the pride and adoration radiating off the Doctor, together with a twinge of arousal. She couldn’t help but grin against his lips. Ever since he’d started teaching her, just shortly after they’d established their telepathic link, she’d suspected that he quite enjoyed seeing her at the controls of his ship.

The groans around them faded and the TARDIS came to a stop. Just when the Doctor was about to deepen the kiss, Rose pulled out of his grasp.

“We’ve landed!” she exclaimed and rushed to the doors with a spring in her steps. She ignored the Doctor’s protest trickling through their link, shot him a grin over her shoulder, and stepped out into the world waiting for them.

Red leaves rustled above her, the trees stretching high into the blue sky. Flecks of light shone down onto the soft, green moss under her feet. The air was warm and fresh, and Rose stretched her arms over her head, taking a deep breath. The breeze held the scent of salt and the sea.

Sensing the Doctor behind her, Rose spun around. “Is this it? Is this Aspao?”

“Yep!” the Doctor exclaimed. His eyes were sparkling. “Right where we wanted to be. Not bad for your first flight.” He held open his arms and Rose didn’t hesitate. She squealed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he picked her up, spinning her around. Their laughter echoed through the forest.

When the Doctor set her back down, he planted a quick kiss on her lips before holding out his hand. Together, they set off into the forest, eager to explore their surroundings. After just a few minutes, the trees cleared. Behind a small hill, a castle came into view. Rose held her breath as she took in the sight. The castle was nestled in front of a range of mountains, pressed close to the steep hillsides. A broad trench stretched out in front of the castle walls. A bridge was the only connection from there to the green hills they were currently standing on. Water lapped against the walls of the canyon. From the scent of salt that was still lingering in the air, Rose guessed it was connected to the ocean. She could see the blue of the sea peeking out between the mountains.

The Doctor squeezed her hand. “What do you think?” he asked.

“It’s beautiful,” Rose said in awe. The Doctor tugged on her hand and together they made their way down the hill towards the bridge.

“Isn’t it? This is the residence of the royal family of Aspao. The society here is actually quite advanced by now and they do have a democracy, but people still love the royals. Bit like you lot.” He bumped her shoulder with his and grinned.

“If their royals are as handsome as Prince Harry, I can’t blame them,” Rose teased and the Doctor let out a huff.

“It’s the year 8004, the reign of Queen Sanyah. Allegedly she is very beautiful, but she’s rather known for her political engagement. Very vocal about equal rights and all that.”

They reached the bottom of the hill and approached the two towers guarding the entrance of the bridge. On top of the towers, a range of flags were waving in the breeze and the Doctor stopped to squint up at them.

Rose turned when she heard the sound of engines approaching behind them. A glider made its way down the hill, a crest painted on the side. It was the same symbol that adorned one of the flags above them.

Suddenly, dread crashed down on her like a bucket of cold water. Rose gasped at the sudden onslaught of the Doctor’s emotions flowing over their link, but a second later, it was gone. The Doctor dropped her hand and jumped away from her as if he’d been burned. A sharp pain behind her temples made Rose wince. Legs trembling, she realized that the Doctor had not only blocked out his sudden emotional turmoil, but he had cut off their link completely. His mind, usually quietly humming in the background of her head, a warm and comforting presence ever since he’d initiated the bond, was gone.

“Doctor, what’s going on?” Rose cried.

“I’m sorry, Rose. I’m so-”

Before he could finish his sentence, the glider came to a stop in front of them. Rose tensed. A door at the side opened and a person in a dark blue uniform hopped out. His skin was covered in tiny, pale blue scales that shone in the sunlight. He didn’t look menacing, Rose decided, but she was still wary. Something had to be wrong.

“Can I help you?” he guard asked, letting his gaze wander over them. “You know this area is currently closed for the public, don’t you? You’re not supposed to be here.”

“Oh, err… we’re just-” The Doctor rummaged in his pocket until he pulled out his psychic paper. He flipped it open. “Here you go.”

The guard’s face lightened up immediately. “Oh, Detectives Smith and Tyler! Apologies. I’m captain of the guard of the royal family. I didn’t know they were sending someone from the capital so soon to investigate the case.”

“Well, that’s us,” the Doctor said, rubbing his neck. “Always a bit earlier than intended, aren’t we Rose?” He gave her a pointed look and Rose resisted the urge to let out a sigh. Not the year 8004 then, although she still didn’t understand what kind of trouble they were in.

“Hop in then,” the guard said, getting back into his glider. Rose shot the Doctor a questioning look, but he only shrugged and climbed into the backseat. Rose sat down beside him, carefully keeping distance between them, although her fingers itched to reach out to the Doctor. With a low hum, the glider took off into the air, flying over the bridge and the walls before going down in the courtyard.

Flowers in bright red and yellow lined the way to the entrance. Rose looked up to the towers and coloured glass windows as they approached the stairs, fascinated how the light grey walls shone in the setting sun. Inside, the captain led them down a corridor, past another group of guards that studied them with curious glances, up two sets of stairs until they came to a stop in front of a large, wooden door.

“I’ll let King Zaen know that you’re here,” the captain explained. “I’m sure he’ll want to meet you right away.”

As soon as he slipped into the room and the door fell shut, Rose let out the breath she was holding and turned to the Doctor.

“Doctor, what’s going on here?”

The Doctor grimaced and rubbed his neck. “We’re a few years too early, I’m afraid. I realized as soon as I saw the flags on the tower. King Zaen is the father of Queen Sanyah. Well, future queen. Princess for now.”

“I meant this,” Rose said, gesturing between them. She took a step closer to the Doctor, hesitantly reaching out to him.

The Doctor’s face fell. He turned, glancing down the corridor, and when no one could be seen, he finally took her hand.

“While they do have a quite liberal society in this century, interspecies relationships are strictly forbidden,” the Doctor explained, his voice low. “It’s ridiculous, really, considering how advanced they are in other aspects.”

Rose let out a sigh. “You could’ve told me that before we planned to go here.”

“If we’d arrived at the correct time, this wouldn’t be a problem. They’re changing the law a few years from now. And since you, Rose Tyler, were driving the TARDIS this time, this was technically your fault.” The Doctor smirked at her.

“Oi!” Rose slapped him against the chest, suppressing a laugh. “I told you, as long as I’m still learning, I’ll blame you for everything that goes wrong.”

“I really am sorry,” the Doctor said, suddenly serious. He raised her hand to press a kiss to her knuckles. “Especially about our telepathic link. The people on Aspao, they’re telepathic as well. They would notice immediately if we have an active bond between us. And since it’s very clearly a marriage bond… well, they’d know we’re a couple just by looking at us.”

“It’s fine,” Rose reassured him, squeezing his hand. “Was just a bit unexpected. And a bit uncomfortable.”

The Doctor frowned. “Is your head hurting?”

“Did for a second. But it’s fine now. Really Doctor, no need to worry.”

“We can leave though, if you want,” the Doctor suggested. “Make a run for it. I’m sure I could fly that glider back to the TARDIS before our captain here comes back.”

Rose pondered for a while, but eventually she shook her head. What did the royal family need help with? What was the case the captain was talking about? Despite the lack of any information, her curiosity had been roused. “Let’s see what this is about first, yeah? Besides, it’s not everyday that we get to visit a castle. I mean, the actual castle and not just the prison cells.”

“Yes, this is a nice change,” the Doctor said with a smile, letting his gaze wander over the polished marble floor and walls decorated with murals and paintings.

“So, if they are this strict about relationships with other species, are they still okay with us being… well, aliens?”

“Oh, yes. Like a said, technically they’re a pretty advanced society. There are people from all over the universe living here. They don’t mind other species per se, they just don’t like it when they… intermingle.”

Rose’s lips twitched. “Intermingle? Is that what we’ve been doing?”

“No,” the Doctor said, his voice low and rumbling. He grinned and stepped closer until he could whisper in her ear. Rose shuddered as his breath hit her cheek. “We’ve been making love,” he said, pressing a kiss to the side of her head while he wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer. Rose shivered as he trailed a finger down her back and raised her head, fighting the urge to pull his lips down to hers.

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said, her voice wavering just a little. She tilted her head and grinned, her tongue poking out between her teeth. “What we did in the kitchen this morning felt more like shagging.”

The Doctor stared at her for a second, his mouth hanging open. A giggle escaped Rose’s lips and she leaned closer, ready to snog the dazed expression off his face, when suddenly the door opened.

Heart racing in her chest, Rose leaped away from the Doctor. The tips of his ears were bright pink, his eyes wide. But if the captain noticed anything out of the ordinary, he didn't comment on it. Instead, he gave them a kind smile and nodded towards the room.

“King Zaen will see you now.”

The Doctor cleared his throat, pulling himself out of his stupor. “Brilliant,” he exclaimed. “Allons-y!”


	2. Chapter 2

Rose nearly expected to be led into a pompous throne room, but instead, they stepped into a wide room with high ceilings that contained a library as well as an office in the far back. While the king wasn’t wearing a crown, he still had an aura of authority around him that made it clear who he was. He awaited them in the office, clad in an expensive, tailored suit, his light purple scales shining in the light from the window behind him.

They came to a stop in front of the desk. Rose’s breath hitched as the king’s gaze swept over them, careful and attentive, as if he could uncover all their secrets with just a glance. In the posh surroundings, Rose suddenly felt out of place. She nervously fiddled with the hem of her T-shirt, wishing she’d worn something a little more fancy and fitting for her role. But the king’s face relaxed after a short inspection.

“Detective Smith, Detective Tyler,” Zaen said in a low, rumbling voice. “It’s good to see that someone could already come around. I didn’t expect anyone to be here for another week.”

“Oh, just call me the Doctor,” the Doctor said, shaking Zaen’s hand. “And this is Rose.”

“Hi,” Rose smiled. “And yes, we’re a bit early. Thought it might be important.”

Zaen let out a sigh. “Well, it might be. I am not entirely sure what to make of it yet. I’m hopeful to get some insights from you.”

“Why don’t you start from the beginning?” the Doctor said. “Tell us what happened.”

“Of course. Follow me, it’ll be best if I show you.”

They followed the king through the castle and he began to explain. “A few days ago, something vanished from the vault,” he started. “We don’t know how they got in. There is absolutely no sign of a forced entry, and no sign that someone sneaked into the castle beforehand.”

“Is the bridge the only way to get into the castle?” Rose asked as they descended the stairs. Further and further down they went.

“Yes. The way over the mountains is difficult, and it would have been impossible during the storms we had last week.”

“So if no one could get in, unless they tricked the guards at the bridge…” the Doctor piped up, not finishing the sentence.

Zaen’s shoulders slumped. “It looks like it’s been someone from the inside, yes,” he said. “The thing is, I trust everyone in this castle. I trust the guards, I trust the staff, I trust my advisers. And my family, of course. And, even if it was someone I’m familiar with, we don’t know how they managed to get past this.”

By now, they had reached the bottom of the stairs. The natural light coming in through the windows had been replaced by cold neon lights shining down from the ceiling. The stairs ended in a broad, rectangular room. At the far end was a huge metallic door. The entrance to the vault. There was no door handle and the metal gleamed in the light as if it had never gotten a single scratch.

“So, how do you get in there?” the Doctor asked, pulling out his glasses from the pocket. He stepped closer, inspecting the door and the scanner next to it.

“Only authorized people get in. Currently that’s me, my daughter and the captain of the guard.”

“Princess Sanyah? And the captain who brought us in?”

Zaen nodded. “Exactly. They say they haven’t been in the vault, and I believe them.”

The whirring of the sonic screwdriver sounded through the room as the Doctor ran it over the scanner. “Iris scan and… huh. What’s the second one?” he asked, frowning at the results.

The king smirked. “Iris and scales. Every Aspaon has a unique pattern and colour on their cheeks.” He stepped forward. A red light swept over him and a second later the scanner let out a beep. With a hiss, the door in front of them opened.

“Sounds pretty secure to me,” Rose said and the Doctor nodded.

“Yes,” he agreed. “Can you be sure it wasn’t the captain of the guard? The prospect of wealth can make people do things you never thought possible.”

“That’s the thing, Doctor,” Zaen said, gesturing them to follow him into the vault. “Have a look around.”

Rose wasn’t sure what she’d expected. Empty showcases maybe, broken glass, chaos after the thief dug through the treasures. But instead, the jewels and diamonds on display took her breath away. Glass cases were filled with crowns and diadems and necklaces, golden and silver coins, colourful gemstones and pearls that glittered in the soft lighting. All neatly arranged, nothing out of order. Rose frowned as she slowly stepped further into the room, letting her gaze wander over all the treasures. Nothing seemed to be missing.

“What was stolen, exactly?” the Doctor asked, sounding as baffled as Rose felt.

“Compared to all the other things the thief had access to, nothing valuable. Money wasn’t the motive,” Zaen said, crossing the room. In the back, one of the cases had several drawers underneath. He opened the last one, revealing a collection of glittering stones. One spot right in the middle was empty.

“Father!”

Startled by the voice behind them, Rose whirled around. A woman stepped into the vault, slightly out of breath. She smoothed her skirts with her hands. The gown was a rich burgundy colour, complementing the pastel purple of her scales. With her delicate features and large, sparkling eyes, Princess Sanyah really was beautiful.

“What’s going on here?” she asked, moving her gaze from the Doctor to Rose and back.

“This are the Doctor and Rose,” Zaen explained. “Two detectives to help us solve the theft.”

Sanyah frowned, pressing her lips into a thin line. “Do you really think that’s necessary? Surely the two detectives have better things to do than search for a rock.”

“Well, no, not at the moment,” the Doctor said with a grin. “In fact, this whole thing is quite intriguing. Sorry, did you say the object that was stolen was a rock?” He raised his eyebrows.

Zaen huffed. “A little more than just a rock. But essentially, yes. It was a meteorite that fell onto Aspao a few years ago. It contained a mineral called Ocrum.”

“Ocrum? I think I’ve heard that before.”

“It’s very common in other parts of the galaxy,” Sanyah said. “Which makes it not exactly valuable.”

“It must have some kind of value if you’re keeping it in the vault,” Rose said, blinking at her in confusion.

“While it’s common in other solar systems, in this one it isn’t,” Zaen continued. “In places where it’s common, people have the technology to harvest power from it. It’s used to fuel different kinds of tech on other planets. In case we ever encounter some of this alien tech we decided to keep the meteorite.”

“Huh.” The Doctor scratched the back of his neck, frowning. “So you currently don’t have the technology to harvest the power?”

Sanyah shook her head. “No, we don’t. I’ve seen some of it while I was going to university, a few star systems away, but… not here.”

“So…” Rose started, the wheels in her head turning. “That means on this planet, you can’t do anything with it, and when you try to sell it to planets who have the right technology, you won’t make much money because it’s so common there?”

“That’s basically it, yes,” Sanyah confirmed with a sigh.

“Why would someone steal it then?” Rose asked, completely baffled. “Especially from this vault, with all the other things in here.”

“We don’t know,” Zaen said. “That’s exactly why you’re here.”

“I’m still not sure if it’s necessary,” Sanyah said, fiddling with the hem of her gown. “I don’t want to keep you away from more important things. Like we said, nothing valuable was stolen. We nearly didn’t notice something was missing at all. There’s no emergency.”

“Well, someone still managed to get into your vault,” the Doctor pointed out, one eyebrow raised. “That could count as an emergency.”

Sanyah let out a long breath. “Yes, I suppose that’s true,” she admitted, a little reluctantly.

“When is the last time you saw the meteorite?”

“The last inventory was ten days ago. We discovered it was missing last week, and since then, we’ve been searching everyone leaving the castle.”

“Did the captain of the guard leave the castle in the few days in between?” Rose asked. “I know you said you trust him, but he still could’ve done it.”

“No, he wasn’t even here. It was his week off.” Zaen shook his head. “I don’t understand what’s going on, but there has to be a different answer. There’s something we’re still missing.”

Silence fell between them. Rose’s head was swimming with all the information, all the questions. She couldn’t see any answers. The Doctor ran a hand through his hair, frowning. Apparently he was at a loss of words as well.

“What are you going to do?” Sanyah eventually asked, voice low and uncertain.

“Well…” The Doctor took his glasses off, rubbing his eyes. “I’d like a list of people close to you who are living in the castle. Anyone who might have gotten information how to get into the vault. I’d like to talk to them, maybe have a look around in their quarters. If we find an indication of why someone would steal the meteorite, we’ll know who did it as well.”

A hint of concern crossed Sanyah’s face, but she quickly schooled her features. Beside her, Zaen nodded. “Of course. We’ll get you the information and you can start the investigation tomorrow. It’s getting late though. For now, please join us for dinner. I’ll tell the staff to set up quarters for you.”

~~~

The food served during dinner was delicious and plentiful, but it was still a tedious affair. Rose couldn’t relax, not when she and the Doctor were busy spinning lies about their lives and had to hold back all the small signs of affection they usually displayed. More than once Rose caught herself as she reached out to the Doctor to take his hand or touch his arm. One time when it was particularly close, with her fingers already brushing his elbow before she quickly pulled back, the Doctor shot her an apologizing look. He squeezed her knee under her table, reassuring her shortly before letting go.

Even after dinner, they didn’t get a chance to be alone. A servant brought Rose to her room and she only caught a glance at the Doctor’s back as he was led into a different corridor.

When she was finally in bed, Rose tossed and turned as she tried to fall asleep. While they were busy during the day, she was distracted enough to blend out the lack of the Doctor’s mind in her head. But now, alone in her room with only darkness around her, she longed for the connection, the comforting embrace of his consciousness around hers. She hadn’t realized how much it calmed her until it was gone.

She groaned, turning on her stomach and pressing her face into the pillow. The room was too quiet. Not only was the hum of the TARDIS missing, but also the Doctor’s soft breaths next to her. The sound of his heartbeats as she rested her head on his chest. Just as she turned another time, a tap against her window made her flinch.

With her heart racing in her chest Rose leaped out of bed. Two more taps, a little more urgent this time. Holding her breath, Rose grabbed the lamp from the bedside as an impromptu weapon, crossed the room to the window and pulled back the curtains.

“Doctor!” she exclaimed, staring at the Time Lord balancing on the windowsill outside, pressed close against the glass. At the panicky expression in his eyes she quickly opened the window and grabbed his arm, pulling him into the room. The Doctor tumbled to the floor and scrambled to his feet.

“Are you all right?” Rose asked, looking him up and down.

“I’m fine,” the Doctor grinned, squeezing her hand. A second later, Rose threw herself into his arms.

“Are _you_ all right?” he asked as he held her tight. He couldn’t hide the concern in his voice.

Rose nodded against his chest. “Just missed you,” she mumbled, tightening her grip around him. “Couldn’t fall asleep without you.”

“Well, good thing I’m here now, don’t you think?” The Doctor pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She yelped as he swept her into his arms and carried her over to the bed.

“Why are you here exactly?” she asked with a smile as he set her down on the mattress before toeing off his trainers and joining her. “Not that I’m complaining.”

“Can’t have you sleep all alone, can I?” The Doctor let out a content hum as he lay down next to her, pulling her back into his embrace. “And maybe I missed you too.”

“And you thought the best way to sneak into my room was through the window?”

“I tried to go through the corridors first, but I ran into a group of guards. Now they all think I’m sleepwalking.”

“Sleepwalking in your suit?” Rose grinned against his chest.

“Yes, well, I’m not sure how convinced they were, but at least they didn’t ask any questions. Had to take the way over the windowsills though. Bit wobbly with that breeze outside.”

“That would’ve been tricky to explain if you’d fell and regenerated.”

“Rose! Have a bit of faith in me, will you?” the Doctor protested, poking a finger into her side.

Rose giggled, finally relaxing under his touch. She pushed herself up to capture his lips. “I always have faith in you,” she said between kisses. The Doctor pulled her closer, his hands roaming over her back and her legs, making arousal flare in her belly. But despite her excitement, Rose couldn’t hide how tired she was. When the Doctor let go of her lips to nip at her neck, a yawn escaped her mouth. The Doctor pushed himself up, hovering above her. His eyes twinkled with amusement.

“You’re not bored, are you?” he asked.

“Sorry,” Rose said, rubbing her eyes. “I don’t know why I’m so exhausted.”

The Doctor’s face fell. “My fault,” he said quietly, drawing his eyebrows together. “It’s a huge mental strain, having a severed telepathic bond. No wonder you’re exhausted.”

“And you aren’t?” Rose asked, reaching out to brush a strand of hair away from his forehead.

The Doctor settled back down next to her, wrapping his arm around her. “I could do with a kip,” he admitted.

Rose closed her eyes and grinned. “Then let’s do that. You can have your way with me in the morning.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” the Doctor replied with a smile in his voice. He pressed a kiss to her forehead. With the Doctor’s presence calming her, sleep was finally crawling up on Rose. But there was one thing she still couldn’t get out of her head.

“The princess,” she mumbled, already half incoherent.

“What about her?” the Doctor whispered, shifting slightly beside her.

“I think something is wrong. She didn’t- she wasn’t happy that we were here to help, was she?”

The Doctor let out a thoughtful hum. “We’ll talk to her in the morning,” he said quietly. “Get some rest now, Rose.”

And with that, Rose finally drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter didn't quite go as planned, so... change of rating for this one!

Rose woke slowly as the Doctor’s fingers softly brushed against her bare stomach. His feather-light touch wasn’t enough to rouse her completely, but it gently pulled her out of slumber. She let out a low hum when his finger’s danced higher. The Doctor, apparently picking up that she was awake, tightened his grip on her. He pulled her closer to his chest, spooning her from behind, and pressed a lingering kiss to her neck. Slowly, as if they had all the time in the world, he continued his exploration. Up and down her stomach, around her navel, up to the underside of her breast. He pushed her shirt further up as he did so. A gasp escaped Rose’s mouth as he finally cupped her breast. It sent a bolt of pleasure right to her core and Rose squirmed in his grasp, silently begging for more.

Just as the Doctor’s hand dipped lower to where she wanted him most, a knock at the door made them both flinch.

Rose yanked her eyes open, disoriented at first, until the knock sounded again.

“Miss Rose?” a voice outside said, muffled through the wood. “I’m here to bring you breakfast. Can I come in?”

Rose scrambled out of the Doctor’s grasp and into a sitting position. Mind whirling, she looked around the room.

“Miss Rose?” the person asked again.

“Just a second!” Rose shouted back. The Doctor seemed frozen beside her, eyes wide open in panic. Rose gave him a shove until he tumbled off the bed.

“The wardrobe, quick!” she hissed and the Doctor finally spurred into action. As soon as he was out of view and Rose had adjusted her clothes, she leaped to the door and opened it.

A young servant was on the other side, holding a tray with bread, cheese and fruit on it.

“I’m sorry, just… leave it here, yeah? Thanks,” Rose said, gesturing towards the desk.

The servant nodded and set down the tray before turning back to her. “I tried to bring another tray to the Doctor, but he isn’t answering the door.”

“Oh. Err, yeah, he sleeps like a rock sometimes,” Rose stuttered. “I’ll check on him in a bit and bring him something. Don’t worry about that.”

The servant smiled and excused himself. Rose let out a breath of relief as the door fell shut behind him.

“That was close,” Rose whispered, not yet daring to raise her voice, as the Doctor sneaked out of the wardrobe. He ran a hand through his tousled hair.

“Yep. You’re brilliant though.” The Doctor smiled and placed his hands on her hips, pulling her closer.

“I feel like I’m fifteen and hiding my boyfriend from my mum.”

“Oi. I’m a bit more than a boyfriend, aren’t I?”

“Course you are,” Rose grinned, pulling his mouth down to hers. They kissed slowly, enjoying the gentle movements of their lips against each other. When the Doctor pulled Rose close, flush against his body and sneaked one leg between hers, she couldn’t help but let out a moan. Her arousal flared back to life, pooling low in her belly. With difficulty, Rose tore her lips away from the Doctor’s. They couldn’t do this. Not now, not here. There was no way she could be quiet if he kept touching her this way.

“We can’t,” Rose said, slightly out of breath. “They’re gonna find out.”

The Doctor cleared his throat, apparently fighting for control. “Right,” he eventually said. “I should get back to my room.”

Rose pressed another quick kiss to his lips. “Back through the window?” she asked.

“I’m afraid so.” The Doctor pulled back the curtains and peeked outside. “Come and find me after you had something to eat and we can go investigate. Okay?”

“Yeah, sure. Good luck.” Rose cracked a smile. With one last wave and a grin, the Doctor climbed out of the window. He let himself down to the windowsill beneath them and leaped to the ground from there. With her room overlooking a garden, he landed safely in the grass and immediately ducked behind the nearest hedge. Rose watched how he crossed the open space, shooting her one last grin before he turned around a corner. She let out a sigh, reluctantly stepping away from the window and getting ready for the day.

~

When Rose and the Doctor finally met up, a servant informed them that Princess Sanyah had left the castle in the morning and wouldn’t be back until noon. Changing their plans, they decided to start on the list of people living and working in the castle that Zaen had provided them with. Beginning with the guards, they spent the morning looking through their quarters, asking questions, and searching for any hints. Around midday, they still had to come up with any answers. No conversation turned out to be helpful, no room contained anything suspicious.

They had a quick lunch and finally went to look for Princess Sanyah. No matter how often Rose had replayed the words and gestures of the princess in her head, her behaviour still didn’t make sense to her. The thought that maybe Sanyah had looked past their pretense and noticed they weren’t who they claimed to be made her heart beat faster as they approached her quarters.

The door was open, so they both peeked inside. Sanyah was sitting in front of a large, round mirror while one of the servants stood behind her, carefully taking a complicated headdress with glittering stones and diamonds off her head. It resembled a crown and the bits and pieces seemed glued to Sanyah’s scales in order to stay in place. Although the servant seemed focused on her work, the women were chatting quietly, looking completely at ease around each other.

The Doctor stepped into the room without waiting for an invitation. Suppressing a sigh, Rose followed him. Sanyah’s smile froze on her lips as she saw them enter, but she was quick to hide the emotions.

“Doctor, Rose,” she said, her voice light. “Come in. Excuse my demeanour, but I just came back from a meeting with the mayor in the next city. Have you met Raelle, my maid?”

Raelle looked up from her work, giving them a polite smile. Like the other servants Rose had seen around she was Aspaon as well. The colour of her scales matched the light purple of Sanyah’s, but specks of blue dotted her cheeks and arms. “Hello,” she said. “We haven’t met, but the king warned me that you might want to speak with me later.”

“Right, yes,” the Doctor said. “Nice to meet you. We actually came to speak to Sanyah, but while we’re here, we can ask you some questions as well.”

“We’re currently talking to everyone in the castle,” Rose added. “And we’d like to have a quick look in your quarter, if you don’t mind.”

The smile vanished from Raelle’s lips. She glanced towards Sanyah. Their eyes met in the mirror for a second, but then Raelle nodded. “My room is right next to this one,” she said, gesturing to a door at the other side of the room. “I live closely in case the princess needs my help with anything.”

“Why don’t you go have a look while we finish this?” Sanyah suggested. “I really would like to get out of this headdress first.”

The door directly led to Raelle’s room. It turned out to be a lot smaller than Sanyah’s. There wasn’t much more than a bed, a wardrobe, a shelf as well as an empty desk. With the high ceilings, decorated walls and sunlight shining through the broad windows it still looked inviting, although a bit bare.

They started searching for any clues, but quickly came to an end. “I don’t think there’s anything here,” Rose mused, letting her gaze wander over the neatly made bed, empty floor and organized shelf. Nothing seemed out of order. In fact, it nearly looked a little too tidy.

The Doctor furrowed his brow. “It barely looks like anyone is living here.”

Rose shrugged, opening the closet to find a range of folded dresses and shirts. “Maybe she’s just tidy.”

Not looking convinced, the Doctor stepped closer to the bed and ran his finger along the frame. When he held it up, the tip was covered by a layer of dust. “Does it look that way?”

“I… what are you trying to say, Doctor?”

“Just that it doesn’t look like Raelle spends much time in her room.”

“And?”

The Doctor paused, looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was there. He stepped closer to Rose. “Do you remember that time Jack accused us of sleeping with each other because my room looked unoccupied?” he asked, voice low.

Rose smirked. “Well, he was right.”

“Exactly.”

“Oh!” Rose furrowed her brow. “You think she’s… well, even if she does have a relationship or, dunno, an affair with anyone in the castle, does it matter?”

Shrugging, the Doctor buried his hands in the pockets of his trousers. “I saw how hard it is to sneak around the castle tonight. If she does this every night, maybe she can help us. Maybe she’s seen anything.”

“Seems a bit far-fetched.”

“Worth a try, isn’t it? Come on.” He signed Rose to follow him. When they came back to Sanyah’s room, the princess was gone. Raelle was still there, carefully adjusting the headdress on a stand.

“The princess quickly went to get some lunch,” she explained before they could ask. “She’ll find you later.”

Rose and the Doctor shared a look. Was Sanyah trying to avoid them? But even if she did, Rose guessed there was nothing they could do about it now. The Doctor eventually shrugged, turning back to Raelle.

“Well, we can have a chat in the meantime,” he said with a grin. 

Raelle let go of the headdress and crossed her arms over her chest. “I can try to answer your questions, but I don’t think I can do much to help.”

“Anything helps, really,” Rose started. “Were you in the castle during the time the meteorite was stolen from the vault?”

“Yes.” Raelle let out a breath. “I had the weekend off, but since I don’t have family nearby, I stayed in the castle during this time.”

“And you haven’t been near the vault?”

“No, not during this time.”

“But you’ve been before?” The Doctor raised his eyebrows in question.

“Yes, I’ve accompanied Princess Sanyah a couple of times. Which means I know the security measures to get inside. I wouldn’t even know where to start to get past this door. I have nothing to do with this.”

“Right, of course.” The Doctor frowned. “And you’re sure you haven’t seen anything? Anyone behaving suspiciously? Being somewhere where they shouldn’t be?”

“No, I haven’t. Don’t you think I would have said anything if that were the case?”

“Well, I’m not sure,” the Doctor said, lowering his voice. “Not if you were somewhere you weren’t supposed to be either.”

Raelle opened her mouth, but closed it again before she could say something. She drew her eyebrows together in a frown. “What are you talking about?” she asked, her voice wavering just slightly.

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. “You see, Rose and I just thought that it doesn’t look like you’ve spend a night in your own bed for a while. And that’s fine, really, we’re not judging. But if you’re moving around the castle at night, surely you would notice if anything suspicious is going on.”

For a moment, silence fell between them. Raelle stared at the Doctor as if she couldn’t believe what he’d just said. Then she let out a breath, relaxing her fingers that she’d clenched into fists. She held their gaze without looking away. “I can assure you,” she started, her voice quiet but even, full of sincerity. “I’m not leaving these quarters at night. I can’t help you.”

The Doctor opened his mouth as if to argue, but Rose stopped him with a hand on his arm.

“Thanks for your time,” she said, attempting a smile. “I think that’ll be all for now.”

She turned to leave. Reluctantly, the Doctor followed her. Rose felt Raelle’s gaze following them as they stepped out into the corridor.

“You believe her?” he asked quietly as they started walking.

“Yeah. Don’t you? I don’t think she’s lying.”

The Doctor let out a thoughtful hum. “I think she was telling the truth. But maybe not the whole truth.”

“I just don’t think we’re getting anywhere with this questioning,” Rose said, slowly getting frustrated. “I think we need a new plan.”

“Right, yes,” the Doctor agreed. “Maybe we’ve been looking for the wrong thing.”

“What else should be look for?” Rose shot him a questioning glance as they made their way back into the entrance hall of the castle. From the doors, a group of guards they had questioned earlier nervously glanced in their direction.

“I’m not quite sure yet”, he admitted. “But I’ve been thinking. If you can’t make any money with the meteorite, why else would someone steal it?”

Rose looked at him in confusion, but then she understood. “Someone wants to use its power? For some kind of alien gadget?”

“Exactly!” The Doctor grinned at her, pride beaming in his eyes. Rose had no doubt that if they were alone, he would’ve pulled her into a celebratory hug. “Let’s assume the thief is still in the castle. I don’t think they would leave their tech lying around somewhere, so we won’t find anything if we continue searching the quarters. But-” The Doctor paused, holding up his sonic screwdriver. “If they’re already using the meteorite, it has to leave some kind of signature. Some kind of radiation we can pick up.”

“Sounds better than searching through the dirty underwear of the rest of the guards.”

“Definitely. I just need to reprogram the sonic.” The Doctor gave her a pointed look.

Rose blinked in confusion, wishing their mental link was still active, giving her any hint of what he might be thinking. “And?” she asked.

“I need to reprogram the sonic. In the TARDIS.” He leaned closer, lowering his voice. Rose shivered at the look in his eyes as he raised an eyebrow. “Far away from prying eyes and fellow telepaths. Join me?”

“Oh!” Rose suppressed a giggle. “Course. I guess you could need my help dealing with your screwdriver, Doctor.” She gave him a tongue-touched smile, enjoying how the Doctor spluttered in response. Rose’s laughter echoed through the corridor, but she took a step back and schooled her features when a group of guards turned their heads towards them.

“Save your innuendos for later,” he whispered, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“You started this.”

“And I promise you, Rose Tyler, I’m planning to finish it as soon as I can. Come on.”

Together, they left the castle, made their way over the bridge and turned off the road into the woods. Leaves were rustling above them as the wind picked up. Rose pulled her jacket tighter around her, but thankfully, it was only a short walk back to the TARDIS.

The soft hum of the ship greeted them as soon as they stepped through the doors. Letting out a breath of relief, Rose finally felt the tense muscles in her shoulders relax. They didn’t have to hide anymore. She turned to the Doctor, ready to press him against the nearest flat surface and snog the daylights out of him, but he leaped towards the console before she could move. Irritated, Rose watched as he frantically typed on the keyboard, not even glancing at her. She joined him there just as he connected the screwdriver to a part of the console. Symbols and numbers flashed across the screen.

“There!” the Doctor exclaimed with a triumphant grin. “All taken care of. I’m loading the energy signatures of the Ocrum in the meteorite onto the sonic. The rest should work automatically. And while we wait…” He lowered his voice, his eyes turning dark as he spoke. Instead of continuing his sentence, he grabbed her hips, pressed her tight against the console and brought his lips down to hers.

Rose gasped as their telepathic link flared back into life at the same time. Love and adoration, longing and desperation all crashed down on her, overwhelming for a moment. As the turmoil ebbed, Rose concentrated on the familiar warmth of the Doctor’s mind as it wrapped around hers. She let out a content sigh against his lips.

“Missed you,” she said between kisses. “In my head.”

The Doctor only held her tighter, resting his forehead against hers. “Missed you too,” he mumbled, sending a wave of comfort through their link. He kissed her again, not hiding any of the desire and urgency he felt.

After their interruption in the morning and now amplified by the Doctor’s own pleasure flowing through their link, Rose’s arousal quickly flared back up. Every kiss, every touch, made her blood boil and sent a tingle down her spine. The Doctor trailed his tongue along her bottom lip and she readily opened her mouth to deepen the kiss. Groaning, the Doctor pressed his hips against hers. He found the friction he’d been craving and Rose’s knees buckled under the onslaught of feelings and emotions. After the block of their bond, everything the Doctor projected crashed down on her with a force she hadn’t experienced since the very first time they had initiated the connection. The Doctor caught her, hoisting her up onto the console. He pushed her down onto her back, hovering over her and widening his stance, making Rose spread her legs. Some part of the console was uncomfortably digging into her back, but in this moment, Rose couldn’t care less.

“Please,” she whimpered as the Doctor peppered kisses down her neck.

“Yes?” the Doctor asked before nipping her skin.

“More.” The word was nearly lost as the Doctor palmed her breast and a moan escaped Rose’s lips. But with their telepathic bond, they didn’t need any words at all. Complying with her silent wishes, the Doctor pushed her shirt up to bare her chest and fumbled with the button of her jeans. He tugged her bra out of the way and moved his mouth to her breast, sucking and teasing.

Rose let out a groan as the Doctor pulled down her jeans, just enough so he could slip a hand into her knickers. Breathing hard, she squirmed as he trailed his fingers through her wetness. At the first touch against her clit, they both gasped in union. From the Doctor’s reactions, Rose guessed he found their reactivated bond as overwhelming as she did. Encouraging him, Rose buried her fingers in his hair to keep him in place and bucked her hips. After all the previous teasing, the Doctor quickly set up a steady rhythm on her clit, bringing her arousal higher and higher. Rose reached the peak with a force and speed she hadn’t anticipated. Pleasure flooded through her as she screamed out her release, her whole body tingling. The Doctor let out a grunt as her orgasm, amplified through the mental link, dragged him with her. Breathing hard, he collapsed on top of her.

For a moment, they simply held each other as they recovered. When the hard surface beneath her eventually got too uncomfortable, Rose nudged the Doctor to get him to move. He pushed himself up and pulled her with him until she was sitting on the edge of the console. He grimaced as he glanced down his trousers.

“I need a shower,” the Doctor complained, resting his forehead against her shoulder. Rose laughed and combed her fingers into his hair.

“Not sorry about that.”

“You could always join me,” the Doctor suggested, shifting until he could press a kiss to her neck.

Rose bit her lip, tempted to do that, but eventually she shook her head.

“They’ll wonder what we’re doing if we’re taking too long, won’t they?” she asked. “I could just go ahead. If you think Raelle hasn’t been telling us the whole truth, maybe it makes sense to talk to the king about her.”

The Doctor pulled back, making a face. “Sounds like a good idea. Although I really don’t want to let you go.”

“Maybe we’ll be done here by tonight,” Rose said, running her hands down his chest to smooth the wrinkles in his jacket. “And I don’t plan to let you out of my bed for at least a day after that.”

“All right, that does sound convincing,” the Doctor grinned, pressing a kiss to her lips before letting go.

Rose jumped off the console, pulling up her jeans and adjusting her shirt. Her legs still felt wobbly, but a quick look into a mirror embedded into the console told her she actually looked presentable. The Doctor nodded when she turned back to him and grasped her hand.

“Go ahead to talk to the king, I’ll join you in a bit. I just need to...”

Rose let out a breath as the Doctor blocked their bond again. It was a lot gentler this time, but still far from comfortable. He slowly dampened their connection, easing her out of the comfort that was his own mind, until it was gone. Rose shuddered.

“I still don’t like this,” she muttered and the Doctor wrapped his arms around her, holding her close for a moment.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “But like you said, if we’re lucky it’s only until tonight.”

“Yeah.” Rose reluctantly pulled back and kissed him one last time. “Go and shower. I’ll see you later, yeah?”

The Doctor smiled and nodded, and Rose stepped back out of the doors, inhaling the crisp air. She took a moment just to breathe, to adjust her head to the newly blocked telepathic bond, before walking back towards the castle.

At the entrance, the guards told her to find the king in the library. Rose followed the same path they had taken the previous day, up the stairs and then down an empty corridor. She passed a dimly lit staircase on her right when there was suddenly a sound, somewhere behind her. The light tapping of footsteps on the floor.

Rose whirled around, but there was no one to be seen. She stopped, holding her breath. A shiver went down her spine.

“Hello?” she asked, but the only answer was the echo of her own voice. Still, Rose couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her. It made the hairs at the back of her neck stand up. She gulped, hesitantly making another step forward.

The rustling of clothes nearby made her flinch. Before Rose could turn around, find the source of the sound, a hand clamped down on her mouth, muffling her scream. An arm wrapped around her, grabbing her wrists to prevent any resistance. Rose struggled against the grip, trying to turn around to see her attacker’s face, but she wasn’t strong enough. Helpless against the assault, she was dragged into the shadows.


	4. Chapter 4

After a quick shower and clad in a fresh suit, the Doctor finally left the TARDIS. He felt more relaxed than he had in the past day, his body still tingling pleasantly after the intimacy he’d shared with Rose. It was only the repeated cut of their bond that dampened his mood. He already missed her in his head, the warm, golden presence of her mind that constantly reminded him that against all odds, despite everything he’d done in his lives, there was still someone who loved him unconditionally.

Gripping the sonic screwdriver in his pocket a little tighter, he descended the hills towards the bridge in front of the castle. With a little luck, this would be over soon.

In the middle of the courtyard, back inside the castle walls, the Doctor whipped out his sonic and selected the new setting. The whirring of the screwdriver sounded through the air as he scanned the building before him. Eventually the screwdriver let out a beep and a grin spread on the Doctor’s lips. Definitely the kind of radiation they were looking for. He nearly rushed after the signal without a second thought, but he held himself back. Rose wouldn’t want to miss it.

“Err, sorry, have you seen Rose?” the Doctor asked the two guards at the entrance of the castle as he ascended the stairs. Ever since he and Rose had interrogated them in the morning, they seemed a little intimidated, but eventually they nodded.

“She came back twenty minutes ago,” the first one said. “She asked where to find King Zaen and we’ve sent her to the library. You know the way, right?”

“Yep! Thanks.” The Doctor rushed past them, giddy to share the news with Rose. He followed the path they had taken the previous day and barged in the room, not bothering to knock.

King Zaen sat behind his desk in the back of the room, looking up with irritation in his eyes. He relaxed as soon as he saw the Doctor.

“Doctor! What can I do for you? Do you have any news?”

The Doctor frowned, letting his gaze wander through the room, as if Rose might appear any second behind one of the bookcases. But the library was empty except for the king. “Sorry, is Rose not here?”

Zaen raised his eyebrows in surprise. “I haven’t seen her since this morning. Is everything all right?”

An uneasy feeling spread in the Doctor’s chest. “She wanted to come see you. The guards downstairs said they saw her just twenty minutes ago.”

“Oh.” Zaen frowned. “Maybe she changed her mind. Or stopped by her room for a moment.”

The Doctor let out a breath, trying to push away the feeling of premonition that filled him, cold as ice. “Yeah. I… I’ll go and check.”

“I can tell the guards to look for her,” Zaen said, but the Doctor had already whirled around and set off running towards the quarters.

When he barged into her room, he wasn’t surprised to see it was empty. It didn’t look like she’d been there since the morning. With anxiety coursing through his veins and pushing him forward, the Doctor set off again. He checked the kitchen, the dining room, every room between the entrance and the library. There was no sign of her. No one, no guard, no servant, had seen her since she’d entered the castle.

When the Doctor met up again with Zaen in the library, the king had already alarmed the guards who started swarming the castle.

“We’ll find her,” Zaen tried to reassure him. “She can’t just vanish inside the castle.”

“Well, you also thought no one could get into the vault,” the Doctor said through gritted teeth. Dread seemed to constrict his chest, making it difficult to get enough air into his lungs. “Something is clearly going wrong here.”

“You think this is connected?”

“Yes.” The Doctor clenched his hands into fists. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing mind. He needed to focus if he wanted to find Rose. “I think this means we’re getting close. Someone’s getting nervous that we’re gonna find out the truth. More than nervous, desperate.”

Zaen frowned. “You think the thief kidnapped her?”

“Who else? I bet if we find them, we’re gonna find Rose.”

“But how-” Zaen started, breaking off when the Doctor held up his sonic.

“How we’re gonna find them? With this. The thief is using the meteorite to power some kind of alien tech, and it’s leaving traces all over the castle. Traces we can follow with my sonic screwdriver.” With a triumphant smile, the Doctor activated the sonic, walking in a slow circle until the screwdriver beeped again. “There it is! Come on!”

Legs pumping, the Doctor rushed after the signal. There were bits of radiation scattered everywhere in the castle, but only one cluster with a signal so strong it was easy to track down. He didn’t care where they were going until he reached their destination, skidding to a halt. At Zaen’s gasp behind him, the Doctor finally looked up to see where the screwdriver had led them.

“Sanyah’s quarters?” Zaen managed to say, a bit breathless. “But that’s impossible.”

“Apparently not.” 

Without hesitation, the Doctor slammed open the doors. Sanyah wasn’t there, and neither was Rose. The only person in the room was Raelle, standing by the king size bed, right in the middle of changing the sheets. She visibly flinched and let out a soft gasp as the Doctor barged into the room, Zaen right on his heels.

“What’s-” she started, breaking off when the Doctor stalked towards her, screwdriver raised. He was sure his face didn’t conceal any of the fury coursing through his veins.

“Where is Rose?” he growled.

Stunned, Raelle stared at him for a second. “What are you talking about?” she finally managed to say. “I don’t know where she is. I haven’t seen her since you two left together.”

“Oh, come on, don’t bother lying to me. We know you stole the meteorite. The radiation is all over you. I bet you’re carrying the device you need it for with you right now.”

“I’m not lying! Really, I don’t know-”

“Don’t stretch my patience!” the Doctor snapped, taking another step into her direction. “I can prove it if you really want to. Let’s see what happens if we interfere with your alien tech, shall we?”

With a flick of his finger, he changed the setting on the screwdriver and pointed it to Raelle. Her eyes widened in shock. For a second nothing happened, but then she let out a cry. Her image flickered and changed. Her purple scales turned into brown skin, the blue dots into reddish freckles. Short black hair formed on her bald head. Around her neck, a metallic ring with blinking lights appeared. Raelle ripped it off her as it let out sparks and the device cluttered to the floor. Her shoulders sank in defeat.

“Shapeshifting! Now, that’s interesting, don’t you think?” the Doctor asked Zaen, who had stepped at his side.

“Raelle, what…” Zaen shook his head, as if he couldn’t believe what he saw.

“I can explain…” Raelle started, voice wavering as tears pooled in her eyes.

“Actually, I don’t care for explanations right now,” the Doctor interrupted, voice cold as ice. “I’ll ask you again. Where is Rose?”

Obviously distressed, Raelle shook her head, not able to utter a single word. Zaen let out an angry huff beside the Doctor. “Restrain her!” he barked at the guards who had appeared behind them. The captain of the guard stepped into the room after his men.

“Have you found her?” Zaen asked. The Doctor gripped his sonic screwdriver tighter as the captain shook his head.

“We’re still looking,” the captain explained, looking past them to study Raelle with a frown. She struggled against the grip of two guards.

“I don’t know where she is,” Raelle cried, stilling all of a sudden. Her gaze met the Doctor’s and he shivered at the sincerity he saw in them. “I promise, I didn’t do anything to her.”

Hearts sinking, the Doctor realized that he believed her. It hit him like a physical blow. He felt dizzy all of a sudden. This meant, although one mystery had been solved, there was still no sign of Rose. Without their telepathic link, he couldn’t even tell if she was hurt.

The Doctor stilled. Their link was one way to find her. Maybe the only way. Letting out a breath, he let his gaze wander over Zaen and the guards. Considering his troubled state, Zaen was probably already suspicious of him and his relationship to Rose. But it didn’t matter. Not when it meant he could keep Rose save.

The Doctor willed his hearts to slow down, blending out the voices around him. Instead, he concentrated on the telepathic bond. He opened his mind, trying to sense Rose, restoring the connection to her. It was challenging when they weren’t touching, but after a few moment of reaching out his mind brushed gently against hers. Holding on to her, he opened their link and the warmth of Rose’s consciousness poured back into his head, filling him with relief. The Doctor gasped, his knees nearly buckling. She was alive and, as far as he could tell from the distance, unharmed.

“What… Doctor!” Zaen’s enraged voice pulled the Doctor out of his own head. He looked around to see all Aspaon’s staring at him in shock, apparently sensing their bond.

He gritted his teeth, his hands shaking. “Yes, yes, I know. Arrest me later if you want, but for now I’ve got to find my wife.” He dashed out of the room before any of the guards could pull out of their stupor. Concentrating on the telepathic bond, he ran down the corridor into the direction where he sensed Rose. Fueled by fear and panic, everything else faded away: the way through the castle, the sound of footsteps rushing after him, even the reassurance and calm that Rose tried to project over the bond.

~~~

Rose let out a breath as she felt the Doctor approaching. His anxiety resonated so strong it made her hands tremble. Carefully, she set her mug of tea down on the table and reached out to Sanyah next to her.

“He isn’t listening,” she said quietly, squeezing her hand. “They’re gonna be here any second.”

The last bit of colour drained out of Sanyah’s face. “What am I gonna tell them? I can’t tell the truth!” she cried.

“We’re gonna think of something,” Rose tried to reassure her. “The Doctor and I, we’re on your side. Obviously.”

A small smile crossed Sanyah’s face until the door barged open in the next moment. Sanyah flinched, but Rose already knew it was the Doctor. He came to an abrupt stop after taking one step into the room. Panting for air, he let his gaze wander over the range of boxes and old furniture covered in sheets. His brow furrowed in confusion. Wherever he’d expected her, a storage room in an abandoned tower of the castle hadn’t been on the list.

Finally, his eyes fell on her. Pure relief poured through their telepathic link. But then he saw Sanyah next to Rose and his gaze darkened.

Rose jumped to her feet, stepping in front of Sanyah. “She hasn’t done anything,” Rose said defensively before he could utter a single word and unleash his fury on the princess.

“Hasn’t done anything? So she isn’t responsible that you just vanished for over an hour while everyone was looking for you?” the Doctor said through gritted teeth.

“I didn’t hurt her,” Sanyah protested, stepping at Rose’s side. Rose could see how her shoulders were trembling. “I just… wanted to scare her a little, at first. Make you drop the investigations. But she convinced me that they might help and I explained everything to her.”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’d love to hear that explanation.”

“I’m sure we all do,” Zaen suddenly interrupted, his voice cold and hard. He stepped into the room behind the Doctor, frowning.

“Father, I…” Sanyah started, her voice breaking. But when a few more guards entered the room after the king, her whole demeanor changed. Two guards had a woman in their grasp that Rose hadn’t seen before. With her dark skin she stood out against the Aspaon’s shiny scales. She gasped, her eyes wide with fear. As soon as Sanyah saw her, the princess straightened. The uncertainty on her face was gone, replaced by determination. Suddenly, Rose could see the queen she would become one day.

“Raelle!” Sanyah exclaimed before narrowing her eyes at the guards. “Unhand her, right now!”

Startled by the command and the authority in Sanyah’s voice, the guards let her go. Raelle pulled out of their grasp and immediately dashed through the room, throwing herself in Sanyah’s arms. Sanyah embraced her without hesitation, holding her close and whispering something in Raelle’s ear that Rose couldn’t hear.

The moment felt so intimate that Rose tore her eyes away from them. Still standing in front of the door, the Doctor gaped at the two women. Rose could see the exact moment in his eyes when he understood. They’d been right: Raelle didn’t sleep in her own bed at night. But she also didn’t lie to them. She didn’t have to leave the quarters and sneak around the castle if she spent her nights with Sanyah instead.

“Ohh,” the Doctor exclaimed, raising his eyebrows. The last remaining fury left his features. Rose nudged him through their mental link, pulling him out of his stupor. He quickly crossed the room as well, giving her a hug.

“You all right?” he murmured, pressing his lips to her temple.

“Yeah, of course.” Rose smiled up at him as they pulled apart.

“What is going on here?” Zaen’s voice boomed through the room, making Rose flinch. “Sanyah, you knew Raelle was lying to all of us?”

Sanyah and Raelle pulled apart as well. “We had no other choice,” Sanyah finally managed to say.

Zaen still looked furious. “Explain yourself,” he hissed.

“Well, it’s quite obvious now, isn’t it?” the Doctor piped up, stepping forward with a grin. “Our dear friend Raelle used the shapeshifting device to work in the castle. You’re only employing Aspaons, I assume? And of course Princess Sanyah knew. She was the one who stole the meteorite from the vault, probably because the previous power source for the shapeshifting was running out. She helped Raelle keep up her disguise.”

Zaen shook his head, still not looking convinced. “Why?”

“Well…” the Doctor started, rubbing his neck and glancing back to Sanyah and Raelle.

Sanyah took a deep breath and reached out to Raelle, grasping her hand tight in hers. “Father,” she started. “I want you to meet my girlfriend.”

Silence fell between them for a long moment. “Tell me you’re not serious,” Zaen finally said. A pained look crossed his face.

“I am. More serious than I’ve ever been. We met four years ago at university. When it was time for me to come back to Aspao, we figured this was the only way for us to be together until the laws are changed to allow interspecies relationships.”

“So you thought it would be a good idea to go against the law in the meantime? You’re the princess!”

“Just because it’s law doesn’t mean it’s right!” Sanyah cried, her voice shaking. She looked at Raelle at her side and continued, quieter than before. “It doesn’t mean that it makes sense. Why does it matter if two people are two different species when they love each other?”

“Sanyah…” Zaen began, struggling for words. The captain of the guard stepped forward.

“Should we-” he started, but Zaen stopped him with a raised hand.

“Leave us,” Zaen said, and the captain as well as the rest of the guards scurried out of the room.

“I mean what I said,” Sanyah continued. “Look at the Doctor and Rose. You can feel the bond between them as well, can’t you? You can feel how strong the connection between them is. A bond like that can only be formed if two people love each other unconditionally. If they trust each other with their life and want to stay together for as long as they live. Why would you outlaw this? How is love like that a bad thing?”

Zaen let out a long sigh and closed his eyes. “It isn’t,” he finally said quietly. “It’s just… you are the princess. You’re supposed to be a role model for the people on this planet. You can’t just break the laws.”

“Yes, I’m the princess,” Sanyah said, her chin raised in determination. “So if I can’t change the law to make our planet a better place, who else can? We’ve been drafting the new bill for months now. Is there a better way to show acceptance to the people of Aspao than doing this with the woman I want to marry at my side?”

Silence fell in the room, only interrupted by Raelle’s soft gasp. She stared at Sanyah, eyes wide.

“You… you want to?” she repeated, so softly as if she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard.

Sanyah smiled. Rose realized this was the first time she’d seen a genuine smile on her face: features relaxed, lips curved, a warm glint in her eyes. Love radiated from her expression and Rose unconsciously reached out to the Doctor beside her, tears prickling in her eyes.

“I do want to marry you,” Sanyah said again. “If you’re saying yes, that is.”

Raelle broke out into a smile as well, despite the tears pooling in her eyes.

“Oh, of course I’m saying yes,” she cried. As if they had forgotten that Zaen was still watching them, Sanyah and Raelle embraced each other, radiant smiles on their faces that didn’t hide any of the happiness they must be feeling. They kissed, long and slowly, holding each other close.

They only broke apart when Zaen cleared his throat behind them. The anger had left his face. He let out a long, resigned breath. “Well then,” Zaen said. “I don’t see how anything I say could keep you two apart. Welcome to the family, Raelle.”

And with that, he finally smiled. Rose let out a breath of relief, grasping the Doctor’s hand tight in hers, smiling at the love and happiness warming her through their bond.

~~~

Late that evening, after a lush dinner, a celebration with fruity drinks and music and eventually a teary goodbye with the promise to attend the royal wedding, the Doctor and Rose made their way back to the TARDIS. The sun had just disappeared behind the peaks of the mountains, painting the sky a vibrant orange. On top of the hill, right before turning back into the forest, the Doctor tugged on Rose’s hand, making her stop.

Confused at the nervousness trickling over their bond, Rose turned towards him. “What’s going on, Doctor?” she asked.

He cleared his throat. “I’ve been thinking,” he started hesitantly. “We’ve had our marriage bond for a few months now, but… we never decided if we want to do things, well, the human way as well.”

Rose’s eyes widened. For a moment, she was at a loss of words. “You know I don’t need that,” she eventually said.

The Doctor squeezed her hand. “I know. But… after all this, I don’t want to hide anything anymore. Psychic or not, I want everyone in the galaxy to see with one glance that I’m yours.”

A smile tugged on Rose’s lips. She slung her arms around his waist, pulling him closer. “I don’t think anyone misses that,” she said with a grin. “We can never keep out hands to ourselves.”

“Oi!” the Doctor protested, laughter gleaming in his eyes. “Rose Tyler, I’m trying to be romantic here.”

Rose giggled. “Sorry. Go on.”

The Doctor tutted and let go of her hand. Curious, Rose watched how he searched for something in his pocket. But nothing, not his face, not their telepathic link, prepared her for the surprise when he pulled out a ring. Rose’s breath caught in her throat. Twined silver enveloped blue gemstones that glittered in the light, the colour a deep, vibrant tone that resembled the blue of the TARDIS. It was simply breathtaking.

“But… where did you get that?” Rose eventually managed to say. She looked up to see the Doctor watching her with a soft smile on his lips.

“Sanyah gave it to me.”

Rose’s lips twitched. “Another thing taken from the vault?”

“With permission, this time.”

“It’s gorgeous.”

“Yes,” the Doctor confirmed, reaching out to her. His thumb brushed over the back of her hand and Rose shivered. “Perfect for you. If you want it, of course.”

A twinge of uncertainty hit Rose over their telepathic bond. Quick to reassure him, Rose stood on tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips, pulling his mouth down to hers. “Of course I want to, Doctor,” she said when she pulled back, brushing her fingers along his cheek.

A grin lit up the Doctor’s face, bright and infectious. Rose couldn’t help but grin back as he held up her hand to slip the ring onto her finger. A perfect fit. Rose blinked back tears. The Doctor cupped her face in his hands and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips. Craving the warmth of his body, Rose wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close.

“It’s perfect,” she murmured against his lips when they both needed to breathe. “Thank you.”

The Doctor let out a pleased hum in the back of his throat, his hands falling to her hips. He rested his forehead against hers. “I’m glad you like it.”

“We’ll have to find a matching one for you.”

“We will,” the Doctor promised. His smile suddenly turned into a smirk. “Later though. First, you promised not to let me out of bed for a day.”

Rose laughed. “I plan to keep that promise,” she said with a tongue-touched smile.

Grinning, the Doctor pulled out of the embrace, lacing his fingers through hers. “Go on then,” he said, turning away from the castle behind them. Towards the forest, where the TARDIS waited for them. “Lead the way, Rose Tyler.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're done! I'm very pleased with the resolution of the case and I hope you enjoy this as well. Thank you for reading and if you want to reach out, come find me at wordsintimeandspace.tumblr.com :)


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